Salt block holder



J. SCHEIDT ET AL SALT BLOCK HOLDER Dec. 8, 1953 Filed March 10, 1952 Fig.2

Joseph Scheidi IN V EN TORS. 4013'.

- Lester A. Teegardin Fig.1

Patented Dec. 8, 1 953 l -f UNITED STATES ATENT- forties .1058911 Scheidtand Lester A. Teegardin,

. v StreatonIll.

Application March 10, 1952, Serial No."275;801

The :present' invention relates to certain new and-useful improvements specially constructed holdersfor salt and mineral blocks such as are used by livestock such as cows, horses, hogs and other animals.

,:The obvious object ofthe invention-isto provide a holder having structurally distinct and novelly improved features such as, it is believed, will be :unqualifledly indorsed by manufacturers, cattlemen, farmers and others.

One object of the invention, more specifically speaking, is toprovide block' accommodating and holding means'which places the'block in an elevated position in order that it will thus be conveniently and readily available but will be maintained clean and usable, over a relatively long periodiof time.

Another object of the invention is to provide a holder which is characterized by an upright and a receiver on the upper end thereof, said receiver being in the form of a tray and said upright having a portion projecting above the plane of the bottom of the tray the said projecting portion adapted to fit into a socket in the salt block whereby to thus provide an arrangement wherein the salt block is spaced above the bottom of the tray so as to provide for drainage and in this manner to greatly prolong the usefulness of the block.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a holder with the aforementioned structural characteristics wherein the tray is characterized by marginal flanges whose adjacent ends are spaced apart to provide open corners to facilitate drainage and to facilitate placing the highly compressed and therefore rigid block in position in the tray to be held by the flanges.

Then, too, novelty is predicated upon a flanged tray, a socketed block and means projecting into the socket of the block whereby said means acts in conjunction with the flanges to securely clamp the block in the tray and to prevent it from being displaced by animals rubbing against the same and to insure that it will remain in position in the tray until the accessible portion is almost wholly consumed by licking.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a salt block and holder therefor constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

.2 Claims. (crust-51) Figure .2 is an; enlarged view taken on the plane' of the irregular vertical line 2 .-2 of'fFi'gure l, looking in the directionof the arrows.

Figure 3 is .a top plan viewof Figure 2 with the salt block removed Briefly summarized, the invention has to do with novel structural means for. supplying .saltto domestic animals and livestock which is characterized by a relatively-stationary vertical support post, a holding trayhaving .a horizontal bottom and upstanding marginalretaining flanges, the

respective ends of the respectiv flflanges being spaced apart to provide comstantlyopen drainage openings, the upper portion of said post-being fixedly secured to said bottom andthe upper end of said post extending above theplanetof said bottom and providinga salt block retainer,- and a .complemental salt block'having a" vertical socket extending upwardly from the bottom of the block, the lower marginal portion of said block being confined within the limits of said tray by way of said flanges, the extending upper end of said post projecting telescopically into said socket with its extremity abutting the bottom of said socket, the latter being of a length less than the length of said upper end, whereby the entire bottom of said block is constantly spaced above the bottom of said tray for drainage of liquids from said tray.

Referring now to the drawings and particularly to Figure 1, the numeral 4 designates a post or equivalent upright whose lower end portion 6 is adapted to be staked or otherwise fitted in the ground as at 8. To facilitate accomplishing this step the post is provided at a desired point with a substantially triangular plate I0. This provides foot pieces l2|2 and where the plate is metal and welded to the metal post or upright it is evident that these surfaces l2 enable one to easily force the lower end of the upright into the ground by foot pressure.

The salt block is denoted by the numeral I 4 and this is a highly compressed rigid salt and mineral block whose bottom I6 is provided with a suitably lined socket [8.

As before mentioned, there is a receiver 20 mounted on the upper end portion of the post. Actually, the upper end portion 22 of the post extends above the receiver where said extending end portion constitutes an anchor for extension into the central socket in the salt block. The receiver is made to fit the block or vice versa. The receiver is generally rectangular in form and of sheet metal or the like, and includes a flat bottom 24 provided with four marginal upstanding flanges 2B. These flanges are all the same in construction and have their end portions beveled and cut away as at 28 to provide unobstructed or open corner portions 30. The fact that the extending end portion 22 projecting into the socket l8 lifts the bottom of the block above the bottom of the tray it will be seen that a drainage space is thus provided. Moreover, the fact that the corners are open and unobstructed further drainage facilities are had. By allowing the saliva and rain water or melted snow to run out of the receiving tray and to also provide for air circulation it will be seen that the elevated block will outlast other marketed types which fit firmly and directly in contact with the bottom of the holder means. What with the central point of anchorage, 22 extending into l8, and with the gripping flanges it will be seen that the block is securely maintained in the tray or receiver. Hence, it will not be easily displaced by the livestock using it. Experience has shown that a salt block in this holder will stay sweet and clean due to its elevated position. Also, even if the stock licked the block until it breaks in the center, it still stays solidly in place in the holding tray. In fact, it remains so solid in the holder that cattle and hogs cannot dislodge it by thrusting and rubbing against it.

Minor changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of parts may be resorted to in actual practice provided no departure is made from the invention as claimed.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In combination, a relatively stationary vertical support post a holding tray having a horizontal bottom and upstanding marginal retain ing flanges, the respective ends of the respective flanges being spaced apart to provide constantly '4 open drainage openings, the upper portion of said post being fixedly secured to said bottom and the upper end of said post extending above the plane of said bottom and providing a salt block retainer, and a complemental salt block having a vertical socket extending upwardly from the bottom of the block, the lower marginal portion of said block being confined within the limits of said tray by way of said flanges, the extending upper end of said post projecting telescopically into said socket with its extremity abutting the bottom of said socket, the latter being of a length less than the length of said upper end, whereby the entire bottom of said block is constantly spaced above the bottom of said tray for drainage of liquids from saidtray.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, wherein said tray is rectangular in plan, said bottom being flat, said flanges being flat and perpendicular to the plane of said bottom, said salt block being correspondingly rectangular in shape, having a flat bottom and being of a size to fit firmly within the embracing and confining limits of said flanges, the height of said flanges being proportional to the length of said socket and projecting upper end of said post.

JOSEPH SCHEIDT. LESTER A. TEEGARDIN.

References Cited in the file of this, patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 812,157 Thompson Feb. 6, 1906 1,786,777 Pfeifier Dec. 30, 1930 2,142,825 Patten Jan. 3, 1939 2,203,275 Beyea June 4, 1940 2,526,011 Ely Oct. 17, 1950 

